Fence-post



UNITED STATES P TENT FFICE.

LEIVIS F. \VIOKERS AND BARNEY C. \VICKERS, OF LEBANON, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,187, dated March 29, 1887.

(No model.)

To all 1071 0722 it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LEWIS F. 'WIOKERs and BARNEY O. WIcKERs, citizens of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Boone and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Fence'Posts, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in fenceposts; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which fully illustrate our invention, Figure 1 is an edge elevation of our improved fencepost, a portion of the earth being shown in section in order to clearly illustrate the side braces and their anchors, and the base of the post being shown in section; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the post, the base being shown in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the side braces with the anchor. Fig. etis a detached perspective view of the base and a sect-ion of the post.

The post A is made of wood and may be of any desired dimensions. The lower end of the post is provided with a tongue, a, formed by cutting away a portion of each of the opposite edges of the post at the lower end thereof. This construction, it will be seen, also pro vides the shoulders a. The tongue a is inserted in a cylindrical earthenware base, B, and the shoulders a rest upon the upper edge or end of the said base, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This base B is made of any impervious earthenware substancesuch as tile and is inserted in the post-hole with its upper end projecting slightly above the ground.

As above stated, the tongue (4 of the post is inserted into the cylindrical base B, and the shoulders a of the post rest upon the upper end thereof. This arrangement, it will be seen, leaves a small space, I), on each side of the post, between it and the cylindrical base, and as the base is made longer than the tongue of the post the post is kept out of contact with the earth and a free circulation of air provided for around the lower end of the same. The lower end of the post is thus preserved and protected from that rapid rotting which takes place when it is placed in immediate contact with the earth. The upper end of the base, by projecting above the surface of the ground, holds the shoulders of the base out of contact therewith, and also prevents the surface drainage from accumulating in the said base, as will be readily understood.

In order to steady thepost and hold it firmly to its position, we provide the side braces, O, which, as shown, are secured to the post about midway its height and extend outward and downward from the same to a point some what below the surface of the ground,where they are secured to buried anchors D. These anchors, D may be of any desired size or material, and may be buried at any distance below the surface; but we prefer to make them of tile, because of its durability and cheapness. Ve secure the ends of the braces to the anchors by providing loopsc at the ends of the wires and inserting the anchors through said loops, which are made of such a size as to fit tightly upon and around the anchors. By this arrangement, it will be readily seen, the anchors are placed transversely to the braces and the ends of the braces are prevented from slipping oft them, as well as preventing the braces pulling the anchors out of the earth.

In order to more sccurelyhold the end posts of the fence to their place we provide the end post with an end brace, E, which is of the same construction as the side braces, O, and is anchored in the same manner, and extends from the end post in the line of the fence, but away from the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that we have provided a cheap and simple fence which is very efficient and durable.

It will be observed that the anchors and braces serve to hold the post in the 'base without providing any securing means between the post and base.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a post having the tenon at its lower end and the shoulders above the tenon, and a hollow base of a diameter greater than the thickness of the post and of a depth greater than that of the tenon, the shoulders of the post resting on the upper edges of the base and the tenon fitting therein and leaving aspace beneath the same, whereby the sides of the tenon are arranged out of contact with the base toleave intermediate spaces, ends to the post and base, as and for the purthrough which air is free to circulate beneath pose described. the tenon, as and for the purpose described. In testimony that we claim the foregoing as 2. The combination of a cylindrical base our own we have hereto affixed our signatures 15 5 having the open ends, a post havingthe shoulin presence of two witnesses.

ders resting on the base, and a tenon fitting LEVIS F VIOKERS therein to leave spaces between the opposin 4 sides of the tenon and base to permit air t?) BARNEY 'S' circulate freely in the base beneath the post, \Vitnesses: 10 a buried anchor arranged at one side of the WM. A. KENWORTHY,

post and base, and a brace connected at its JoHN L. PIERCE. 

